Peter Dutton has promised to reduce the annual migration rate to 140,000 and reduce the number of international students to tackle the country’s housing crisis if elected to power next year.
In his third budget response speech on Thursday night, the opposition leader announced a series of policies on migration, housing, energy, health and community safety in what he described as a roadmap for Australia to “get back on track.”
“The budget approved on Tuesday is one of the most irresponsible I have seen,” he said.
If elected, the Coalition will reduce the permanent migration program by 25 per cent, from 185,000 to 140,000 for the first two years, before increasing to an intake of 160,000 in the fourth year.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton delivered his response to the federal budget in Parliament on Thursday night.
Dutton said this would free up more than 100,000 homes over the next five years.
The opposition would implement a two-year ban on foreign investors and temporary residents buying existing homes in Australia.
Dutton said that with Labour’s target of building 1.2 million homes by 2029 unlikely to be met, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was making the housing crisis worse.
The refugee and humanitarian program planning level will also return to 13,750.
Thousands of people, including retirees, will be encouraged to return to the workforce and the coalition will further increase the amount of work older Australians and veterans can work without reducing pension payments.
The existing labor bonus will be tripled from $300 fortnightly to $900, in a measure that will benefit more than 150,000 pensioners.
The number of hours that those with student visas can work will increase by 12 hours every fortnight.
A report from the government-appointed National Housing Supply and Affordability Council published in May found the housing crisis would worsen and the Commonwealth would fall short of its target of building 1.2 million homes by hundreds of thousands.
But the Prime Minister said the Budget offered support to the construction industry and increased Commonwealth rental assistance.
“You can’t undo 10 years of negligence in a couple of years – it takes time to do that,” he told ABC Radio.
Dutton said the coalition would back energy bill rebates in the budget, worth $300 for each household, but warned the government was “treating the symptom, not the disease” of inflation.
The opposition leader cut the annual migration rate to 140,000 and reduced the number of international students to address the country’s housing crisis.
The opposition leader is unlikely to support $13.7 billion worth of production tax credits for hydrogen and critical minerals, the centerpiece of Labor’s Future Made in Australia plan.
“Magic spending and $13.7 billion in corporate welfare for billionaires doesn’t help the economy or make life easier,” he said.
Dutton said a coalition government would accelerate gas project approvals and commit to annually releasing offshore areas for exploration and development in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
It would also defund the Environmental Defenders Office.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese watches as Peter Dutton delivers his budget response
The Coalition would also restrict the sale of knives to minors and dangerous individuals and toughen bail laws for family violence cases, following a series of harrowing attacks and murders, Dutton said.
It will back new offenses that criminalize the use of mobile phones or computer networks to cause fear or harm to intimate partners, and toughen bail laws.
The coalition has also pushed for Australians to be allowed to withdraw up to 40 per cent of their retirement savings – up to a maximum of $50,000 – to buy their first home.
The proposal has been criticized by economists and the retirement industry, who said it would drive up house prices, put retirees with mortgages at risk and would not benefit young Australians or renters.
